The Newsroom: Episode 6 Review

When coincidence occurs, I always think of the scene in a movie where someone bumps into their Ex on the streets of New York City. It is so fake that out of the millions of people in New York that Carrie would ever bump into Aidan. Even though we started re-watching the West Wing a couple months ago, by coincidence, last night we watched the Season 3 episode called, Five Nights. In it, the president can't sleep so he goes to a therapist to uncover that his abusive father is shaping his decisions in his campaign. Suddenly I feel like I just bumped into my ex. What are the chances that we would have watched the same plot from the same writer back to back nights. When you are a writer, it is hard to not reuse your own issues and your own way of talking and the themes you enjoy. It was interesting to watch these episodes back to back. Problem was the device worked better on the West Wing. Six episodes in might just be a little early to actually delve this deep? I am not sure. I have noticed, and from the online articles and you tube videos others have too, that Aaron Sorkin has a tendency to recycle phrases and plots. David E Kelley does the same thing. David Lynch uses fire and red curtains in many of his movies. I think recycle, reuse is a good edict for life and art. Themes need to be examined and reexamined. Just be sure you add something deeper and better the next time around. Not sure he did this time.

The other part of the episode was focusing on Oliva Munn's character, Sloan. I thought this was a great idea. I think widening the network and reporters will only improve the show. I was wondering if her character would grow and I think they did a great job at placing her as the second lead of the series. Mackenzie is too flighty to take the second lead. Even Sloan pointed out to Mackenzie that her advice can lead to a nuclear explosion. This is the show basically saying that she will never rise to the level of a character that inspires us. And make no mistake, this show is all about inspiration. I am not sure there is anyone else that can carry a second story as well as Sloan. She may have been brought on as just the legs, but she may just turn out to be the heart of the show. We will see because it is in Aaron's past to start to develop something and then just drop it. This episode was good and I am still a big fan of the show. I guess I am hoping that I will start caring for everyone in the way that I do on the West Wing. I think it made a big step forward with Sloan.

Before I wrap up, I have to say the best line I have heard in a really long time came from the therapy scene. When he told the doctor, you don't know what its like in my head. I could see a new catch phrase being born for every future argument I ever have. So I guess there was some improvement in the recycle.

The Red Room Podcast has a round table discussion about the entire First Season of The Newsroom. You can listen by clicking the link or heading out to iTunes.